VMI Football will begin 2017 spring practice on Thursday, April 6 and will hold drills throughout the month of April.

Third-year head coach Scott Wachenheim and his team will conduct three straight practices April 6-8 before working a regular practice slate over the next three weeks.

Scrimmages are now scheduled for April 14, 22, and 29. The April 22 scrimmage start has now been moved to 9 am.

Wachenheim will have several key priorities on his spring practice “to-do” list – among them starting the process to find a replacement for VMI all-time leading passer quarterback Al Cobb who is graduating this spring. Developing the running game and continuing an improved defensive performance are also areas of emphasis. The defense allowed 7.3 points per game fewer in 2016 from the previous year and also allowed the second fewest points in a season since 1988.

The Keydets, 3-8 last season, will be young on offense as just four starters return from 2016, but a full compliment of running backs bolster the best depth situation in that position group in years.

“We have great depth at running back so this spring we are going to be looking at ways to get all our running backs on the field,” said Wachenheim. “Quan Myers, Daz Palmer and Tyain Smith, Brice Tucker, and Alex Ramsey who redshirted last year. Those are five backs that we think are as good and stable as any that VMI has had as a group for a long time. Coach Maypray, Coach Ward, and I will be looking for ways to best use them.”

“We want to build on what we did well last year. Taking care of the football, we were outstanding, seventh in the nation in fewest fumbles lost and our defense was also excellent in the fact that we gave up second lowest points in the last 30 years at VMI. “